Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, Alhaji Bashiru dismissed as false any suggestion that the MP incited or sponsored the mob that attacked the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) team led by Colonel Dominic Buah.

“If I am given the Holy Qur’an to swear, I will say nothing but the truth,” the Zongo Chief declared. “The MP, Ebenezer Addo, was on his way to a funeral and only stopped when he came across the chaos. He did not call any thugs to attack the taskforce; he won’t do that, and I don’t know him to be that kind of person.”

Alhaji Bashiru explained that by the time the MP arrived at the scene, the situation had already spiralled out of control. He said Mr. Addo’s presence was aimed at helping to calm tensions and ensure the safety of the soldiers who were surrounded by angry youth.

“I am not aware he gave the soldiers any money,” he added. “What I witnessed was an effort to protect lives and restore order, not to cause confusion.”

The Zongo Chief further clarified that the unrest arose from a misunderstanding regarding activities at the alleged illegal mining site.

“The youth were not doing galamsey,” he said. “They were engaging in ‘Sankofa,’ which is when young people return to abandoned mining sites to wash leftover soil in hopes of finding some gold. They may have felt intimidated, and that misunderstanding caused the disturbances.”

He stressed that while the youth’s actions led to chaos, there was no organised attack orchestrated by any political figure or authority.

Alhaji Bashiru also revealed that his personal vehicle, which was used to transport the soldiers to safety, was later involved in an accident.

“My car, a Toyota Sequoia 4×4, crashed into a tricycle after the incident, and it is currently in police custody,” he said.

The confrontation on Saturday, November 1, 2025, followed the arrest of two men by the NAIMOS taskforce at a mining site near Hwidiem, along with the seizure of vehicles and equipment. The arrests reportedly triggered outrage among local residents, who later besieged the police station demanding the release of the suspects and vehicles.

Security has since been reinforced in the area, and calm has been restored. Police investigations into the disturbance and property damage are ongoing.

Source: Gertrude Otchere

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Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Alhaji Bashiru described the events as “chaotic and dangerous,” recalling how swift intervention by community leaders and the police helped prevent bloodshed.

According to him, he was on his farm when the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Addo, called to inform him of the tense situation involving the NAIMOS team led by Colonel Dominic Buah.

“When I arrived on a motorbike, the situation was indeed bad,” Alhaji Bashiru recounted. “We wanted to remove the soldiers from the police station because the youth had surrounded the place and were becoming uncontrollable.”

He noted that many of the young people involved were unaware of what had triggered the unrest, joining in the chaos out of curiosity.

“A lot of the youth didn’t even know what was happening. Some were just following the crowd. The mature ones who understood the matter were rather helping the police to restore calm,” he explained.

The Zongo Chief said that after assessing the situation, the Asutifi North MP advised evacuating the soldiers for their safety.

“The MP said the police vehicle wasn’t safe, so he appealed to me to bring my Toyota Sequoia 4×4 to transport the soldiers because we believed no one would dare touch it,” Alhaji Bashiru said.

However, moments after his vehicle arrived, part of the irate mob attacked and smashed its rear windscreen, mistaking it for a military vehicle.

“Those who vandalised my car were not part of the group that understood the issue. One young man even confessed he joined the crowd just because he heard people shouting,” he revealed.

Despite the damage, Alhaji Bashiru said his priority was ensuring the safety of the soldiers and preventing the situation from escalating further.

He praised the military officers for their restraint and professionalism, noting that they could have retaliated but chose to remain calm under pressure.

“The soldiers are government officials working on behalf of the state. Once they wear the uniform, we must accord them respect,” he said. “I commend them because if they wanted to escape by force, they could have done so, but they stayed calm until we moved them to safety.”

The NAIMOS team, which had earlier arrested two suspected illegal miners and seized vehicles and weapons at a nearby mining site, was later rescued under police escort and transported safely to the Newmont Kenyasi site.

Police in Hwidiem have since confirmed that calm has been restored, though investigations into the vandalism and attempted mob assault on the taskforce continue.

ALSO READ:

• Galamsey: NAIMOS raids site in Ahafo, arrests operators including a Burkinabe

• NAIMOS taskforce escapes mob attack at Hwidiem

Source: Gertrude Otchere